The first general meeting for WUSC (World University Service of Canada & Students Without Borders) will be held this

Monday, September 25th, at 6 pm in Room 3205 in the 3M Centre

The 3M centre is the building behind Somerville House, across from the entrace to the Ivey building parking lot. If you want to check out a map of campus to confirm where the building is, you can go here: http://www.geography.uwo.ca/campusmaps/. As well, there will be signs outside and inside the building directing you to where the meeting is. In case anyone has class and can't make it, we will be sending out extensive minutes and contact information afterwards, so you can still be sure to hook up with the areas in which you want to get involved.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to shoot an e-mail to me at cruderman@gmail.com

A couple of updates for you…

Again we would just like to welcome everyone back to Western, we hope your summers were filled with adventure and we can’t wait to get started with the new school year.

Currently you may sign up to become a committee member at the booth in the UCC gym. We will be there all week, so please stop by and say hello.

There are a lot of great events in the works, and some incredible new projects including STUDENTS WITHOUT BORDERS!!! (I’m personally very excited about this one.)
We also have our Bike For AIDS event right around the corner in early October, along with the launch of the Millennium Campaign and our SRP CAMPOUT on Concrete beach in October!

So we have lots on the go, the most important thing to note is

OUR FIRST MEETING WILL BE HELD
MONDAY SEPT. 25th 2006 at 6:20 in the 3M building. Please check back for the exact room.

Other then that, I promise to keep this website constantly updated so please keep checking to make sure you have all the up-to-date info on what events are happening!

See You On Monday!

2005/2006 Updates: (Just so you can get an idea of some of the events from last year, and incase anyone has alot of time on there hands :) ...)

The Awareness Team is putting on their first Make Poverty History event of 2006 on Thursday, March 9th! This event will be critically examining the 4 main goals of Canada's Make Poverty History campaign using displays, questionnaires, handouts, and possibly even guest speakers to analyze and debate whether the goals are actually effective, and whether we can indeed make poverty history and achieve the Millenium Goals by 2015! Everyone is encouraged to get involved with this project, especially as you'll have plenty of time to independently collect information and ideas for the event, and things won't be too busy at all for the next two weeks (we're definitely just as busy as you are with midterms!)

There are 4 of us organizing the event this term, and each of us have taken on a different goal. If you're interested in:

*Eliminating Child Poverty in Canada: give Traci a shout at moo_wai@yahoo.com

*Trade Justice and Fair Trade: contact Tori at vclark2@uwo.ca

*Increasing foreign aid to 0.7% of our GDP: E-mail Kevin at kyun@uwo.ca

*Debt Elimination: Contact Carly at cruderma@uwo.ca

If you'd like to take part, e-mail one of us by this Friday, February 17th, and help us spread awareness about Making Poverty History in Canada!

Also, we received information about a sustainability/sustainable development conference at Western. For more information, visit the link http://www.uwo.ca/earth/sustainability/

Wine tasting and environmental awareness/activism night...

There will be speakers on oil depletion, genetically modified organisms, dangers of industrial agribusiness, etc. Also, Tori will be there selling her Shea Butter!

When: February 23

Time: 6:00pm

Where: Aeolian Hall

It is 10 dollars to do the wine tasting and 6 dollars to come.

 

Charity on the Rocks
'Engineers Without Borders' Charity Concert

Feb. 17th, 2006. 9pm at the Wave. All of the proceeds are going to their international development initiatives. Must be 19+.

Tickets: $10 in advance (UES, INFO Source, The Wave) or $12 at the door.
CharityOnTheRocks@yahoo.com

 

Updates:

At our second general meeting on Monday night we discussed several new projects. Here is the brief summary/minutes for what went on. Remember, this is our last general meeting of the year – the rest of the meetings are committee meetings for what project you want to be a part of. You can e-mail the appropriate exec to be apart of their committee!

* Student Refugee Program 24-Hour Famine
* Bikes for AIDS
* Volunteering Opportunities
* Awareness Events
* T-shirts/ bracelets

Student Refugee Program 24-Hour Famine

We have scheduled a 24 hour famine starting from 6pm on Sunday, Jan. 29 to 6pm the next day. The idea is to collect money through pledges and donations. All proceeds go directly to our Student Refugee Program. (Any amount is welcomed!)

24 hour famine is not only a great way to lose weight and meet great people, but an opportunity for us to grow independently and experience what it feels like to go a day without food.

We reserved the front desk of the SSC building on Monday from 9am to 6pm. We will collect pledges there and also meet there at the end of the 24 hour famine for a group dinner!

So come on out and enjoy a day where you don't have to worry about your diet. With all these benefits, how can you refuse?!

If you are interested, e-mail Arthur (awong244@uwo.ca) to get hooked up with a pledge sheet so you can start fundraising!!

 

Bikes for AIDS

Did you ever wonder where all your donation money goes?

You can be sure to know with Bikes for AIDS.

Bikes for AIDS is a joint initiative between WUSC and CAP AIDS. The goal of the campaign is to raise money for bikes and/or bike ambulances to be used by AIDS workers to improve their outreach efforts in certain areas of Africa. The bikes purchased are locally and therefore support the economy. Regions experience efficiency gains of four times the number of people reached.

For more information or to join the committee, please e-mail Justin Derksen jderksen@uwo.ca.

Volunteering Opportunities:

This months charity is focusing on the ArkAid Street Mission and the Women's Community Home. ArkAid Street Mission is a soup kitchen type organization that emphasizes the need to discover or re-discover for themselves values in their life. The Women's Community Shelter is a home for battered women and their children. Dates to be announced and the program will commence in February. Please emphasize that these are great opportunities to contribute to the community that has provided us, as university students, with so much.

For more information, e-mail Brittany (brittanycummings@hotmail.com)

Awareness Event

After a successful first semester featuring the Poverty Project, which was very well received, the WUSC Awareness Committee is looking forward to a new awareness event this term. This event will take a Canadian perspective on the Make Poverty History initiative, which pressures our government to fulfill four goals in the pursuit of making poverty history. These are:

i) Raising the percentage of GDP devoted to foreign aid to 0.7% (we are now sitting at about .29% - pretty good relative to other countries, but still far from where we need to be)
ii) Removing trade barriers and protectionist policies to permit Free and Fair Trade
iii) Cancelling debt owed to Canada by foreign countries
iv) Relieving child poverty in Canada

We are currently negotiating with the USC as to what date we can use the Atrium so that our event can go off with a bang and get lots of exposure. That means that dates are pending. However, we will have a committee meeting in the near future - we'll keep you all posted as to when that is! Let's do a great job...AGAIN!

Questions? E-mail Kevin (kyun@uwo.ca), Tracy (moo_wai@yahoo.com) or Carly (cruderma@uwo.ca)

T-shirts and Bracelets

We still have some wicked/amazing WUSC t-shirts left. You can pick one up for $12. E-mail Tracy to pick one up (moo_wai@yahoo.com). We also have our Make Poverty History bracelets available for $2. Please e-mail any of us to pick one, or two up (one on each wrist looks cool).

Anyways, that’s about it for now! Keep posted for more updates in the near future. Make sure you get involved quickly – the year is going to be over before you know it!

...PAST Updates...

Click here for more information about the Gift Baskets and Shea Butter Fundraiser.

Tori is selling fair trade baskets with items from 10 Thousand Villages. The basket includes fair trade coffee, chocolate, bangle, lip gloss, and shea butter! This is another great gift idea for only $22.00. In case you are wondering, shea butter is an African product that can be used in your hair, on your skin, etc. I had the chance to use some of it today, and it smells reallly nice! On top of that, it is very good for your skin... I would highly recommend that you contact Tori and try a little for starters. I'm sure you'll want more... just like me!

Tori's e-mail is...vclark2@uwo.ca

1. Discount Day at 10 Thousand Villages – Last Thursday

Thanks to everyone that came out and spent some money. We raised $55 dollars for our Student Refugee Program. That may not sound like much, but remember, that is ONLY 5% of the sales. This means that Western students spent over $1000!! GREAT JOB!

2. This week is AIDS AWARENESS WEEK and there are a bunch of great events going on through out campus:

On Wednesday, Nov. 30th, in the Council Chambers: Think Globally, Act Locally

-Peter Hayes – AIDS Committee of London

-Eddie Dane Donton – West Africa AIDS Foundation

-Peter and Eddie will be discussing an international partnership between the AIDS committee of London and the West Africa AIDS Foundation (WAAF).

-This newly formed partnership helps ACOL provide better prevention and support services locally to Canadian newcomers from countries where HIV is endemic. The partnership connects the local London work to the international effort, and promotes an awareness of the global nature of the HIV pandemic and encourages a more global response through local initiatives.

-They will also be discussing volunteer options (working in Ghana for 5 months)

Movie:

"A Closer Walk" showing at western film 4:30 on thursday. The film explores the harsh realities of AIDS in the world. This powerful documentary includes heart-wrenching stories from individuals living with HIV. More than 50 women, men, and young people have been interviewed or profiled in Uganda, South Africa, Haiti, Switzerland, India, Nepal, Ukraine, Cambodia, and various locations in North America.

3. Friday, December 2 – Make Poverty History Day with Oxfam and, Engineers Without Borders and Amnesty International

There will be four booths set up – one for each aspect of the Make Poverty History campaign – fair trade, child poverty in Canada, better aid, and debt cancellation. We as WUSC are going to set up the Dept Cancellation booth! THEREFORE, we need to make posters, and come up with ideas quick. We are going to set up some displays on Wednesday on the 3rd floor of the UCC. If you can come out, please do (we don’t have a room yet… but we’ll direct you). Also, bring pictures and any other interesting facts with you. Art supplies would be awesome too!!!

Past Updates:

1) Student Refugee Program 24 Hour Camp Out – HUGE SUCCESS!!!!